After a day’s rest following a stone attack during campaigning at Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will resume his ‘Memantha Siddham yatra’ from Monday.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) General Secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said that the Chief Minister remains undeterred.
“CM Jagan has been advised by doctors to take rest today but he will resume back from tomorrow at the same pace to continue the bus yatra. The public eagerly awaits his return, ready to show their unwavering support and denounce such a heinous attack,” said the ruling party leader.
Jagan Mohan Reddy sustained an injury on his left eyebrow after being hit by a stone in the Ajith Singh Nagar area on Saturday.
As part of ‘Memantha Siddham Yatra’, the Chief Minister was standing on a special campaign bus to greet people when unknown persons pelted stones.
Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao, the Vijayawada West MLA, who was standing next to Jagan Mohan Reddy, also sustained an injury in his left eye.
Police have registered a case of attempt to murder against unknown persons and launched an investigation.
“A separate police team has been formed to investigate the incident. As we are in the election phase, everything is under the control of the Election Commission, we are also making a representation to the Election Commission so they can expedite the inquiry to unearth the facts. We firmly believe that fingers are pointing towards the Telugu Desam Party, and we are focused on a thorough investigation process,” Ramakrishna Reddy said.
Responding to reactions from the opposition parties, he said creating high dramas, instigating people and the cadres and using unwanted shortcuts is TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu’s philosophy which does not suit the democratic process.
“These are the methods that Chandrababu Naidu is known for. Despite reactions from other political leaders, TDP tends to respond differently, as we have witnessed. Even before facing scrutiny, they hurl accusations at us, attempting to confuse the public,” he said.
The YSRCP general secretary said that over the past five years, the opposition propagated numerous false impressions and painted Jagan Mohan Reddy as a villain in the public eye.
“The injury is a fact. The spot where the object hit was sensitive and could have severely affected his eye. Yet, despite these realities, the TDP is attempting to downplay the incident due to fears of exposure and resorting to making inhumane comments,” said Ramakrishna Reddy.
“This is a pre-planned, premeditated, cold-blooded attack on our leader Jagan Mohan Reddy. Who would have planned such an attempt? It stems from the insecurity that the TDP is experiencing as they are witnessing the response our leader is getting through the poll campaign, through the roadshows and Siddham Sabhas,” he said.
He alleged that Naidu in his speeches at Prajagalam meetings has been threatening and instigating his cadre to attack Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“CBN and his TDP party would benefit if Jagan Mohan Reddy refrains from mingling with the public, especially after witnessing the unprecedented support from the public across the state. This leads us to presume that the TDP and their leader, CBN, are responsible for the attack,” he added.